How to Flex Your Rights During Police Encounters

A rather typical encounter

Last week's media frenzy surrounding the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. illustrates once again that concerns about racial profiling and police abuse are as potent as ever in American culture. The incident itself is fascinating not only because of what happened, but because of what didn't happen. No blood was shed, no property destroyed, and no one will be facing years behind bars. Instead, we've witnessed a rare event in which the media has had the opportunity to debate a much more common scenario: a misunderstanding that escalated into hostility and a questionable discretionary arrest.